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Bush issues new Arctic policy for U.S.
Alan Bailey Petroleum News
On Jan. 9 President Bush signed a directive establishing a new U.S. policy for the Arctic region. The policy is intended to address national security needs; protect the Arctic environment; ensure sustainable resource management and economic development; strengthen international cooperation in the Arctic; involve Arctic indigenous communities in decision making; and enhance scientific monitoring and research.
The policy proposes a series of measures for achieving the policy objectives. Those measures include an increased U.S. maritime presence in the Arctic and the participation in international Arctic initiatives. And the policy envisages clarifying the limits of the extended U.S. continental shelf, especially through procedures available under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the United States has not yet ratified. The policy also wants to see increased Arctic scientific research and new measures to support Arctic marine transportation.
Involvement anticipated From an economic perspective, the policy anticipates U.S. involvement in international initiatives to address the impact of climate change on the Arctic and to ensure that development of hydrocarbons and other resources is done in a responsible manner.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski praised the new policy.
The United States Arctic policy has not been updated since 1994, and the Arctic is vastly different today than it was 15 years ago, Murkowski said.
I support the new Arctic policy and congratulate the Administration for its work on this issue.
Murkowski called on Congress and the Obama administration to implement the new policy and obtained assurances from Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton that the Arctic would be a priority. Clinton said that the Arctic issues will affect our commercial, environmental and energy futures. Clinton also expressed support for U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, something that Murkowski has championed for some time.
As reported in the Jan. 4 issue of Petroleum News, the U.S. Coast Guard is hoping to adopt a new Arctic policy for its activities, amid growing concerns about increased Arctic shipping and increased oil and gas exploration in the region.
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